proposal # 839 instructionally related activities report form
TRANSCRIPT
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Instructionally Related Activities Report Form
SPONSOR: KUANFEN LIU PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT: PERFORMING ARTSM - MUSIC ACTIVITY TITLE: CHORAL SPECTACULAR DATE (S) OF ACTIVITY: May 7th and May 12th, 2017 Please submit via email to the IRA Coordinator along with any supporting documentation at [email protected] within 30 days after the activity. Thank you for your commitment to engaging our students! A. ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (1) PROVIDE A DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITY CSU Channel Islands University Chorus joined Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra on Sunday, May 7th and Friday, May 12th performed J. S. Bach’s Motet “Singet dem Herrn” for double chorus and W. A. Mozart’s Requiem” K. 626 in D Minor. Concerts were held at the First United Methodist Church in Ventura (May 7th) and at the Performing Arts Center at Rancho Campana High School (May 12th). CI University Chorus spent the spring semester rehearsing and preparing for the above two major choral-orchestral works with the assistance of Ms. Linda Fern Fay as the weekly rehearsal accompanist. As part of the preparation for the performances, the University Chorus also joined with the Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra in three dress rehearsals. The complete experience from weekly piano rehearsals to dress rehearsals and performances with a professional chamber orchestra was an valuable experience for all the students participated. Both performances were very well attended and received; musicians received standing ovation at both venues. The total audience count was approximately 800-900 people. Both performances included brief pre-concert talks by the conductor and the president of the chamber orchestra introducing the composers and the music. (2) HOW DID THE ACTIVITY RELATE TO A COURSE(S) AND/OR LEARNING OBJECTIVES? The weekly rehearsals with the instructor and the accompanist provide knowledge, comprehension, and application of beginning, intermediate, and advanced skills in choral singing. In addition, through rehearsals and performances, students learn choral repertoire, and develop musicianship and performance skills.
Proposal # __839________
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Moreover, the two major choral-orchestral works selected represent different historical time periods, distinctive musical styles and genres. Both were sung in their original languages (German and Latin). (3) WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE STRENGTHS OF THE ACTIVITY? One of the many strengths of this activity is to be able to enrich students learning experience by providing them an outstanding accompanist during weekly rehearsals and the opportunity to work and perform with a professional chamber orchestra. These are the practical “hands-on” learning experience we want our students to have. We want our students to not only gain knowledge in classroom settings but also apply them in the real world. Another example is to disseminate classical music to a broader audience and connect with music patrons in the community. Through such activity, our students also gained opportunity of networking with professionals and patrons in the community. (4) WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE/WERE THE ACTIVITY’S WEAKNESSES? One regret I had was not being able to bring such wonderful experience to campus. This is due to CI does not currently have a suitable performance venue. (5) HOW WOULD YOU IMPROVE THIS ACTIVITY FOR NEXT TIME? I think we have done our best to maximize the extraordinary experience we could bring to our students; so not at the moment. (6) WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PROCESS? I realized how little exposure our students had prior to arriving CI and how important it was to open doors for them, guide them and inspire them to be seekers and look beyond their individual windows. I have also realized our community is hungry for high quality musical performances; especially those are done by the younger generation. Not only do they enjoy a good performance, they also wanted to support the next generations of college students. These two testimonies have made me more determined to continue bringing such opportunities to my students.
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(7) WHAT ARE STUDENT RESPONSES TO THE ACTIVITY? ATTACH STUDENT EVALUATIONS OR ASSESSMENTS (IN ACCORDANCE WITH FERPA RESTRICTIONS YOU MUST REMOVE ALL PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE STUDENT INFORMATION) Please see the Qualtrics report that is attached to the end of this report. Since the University Chorus is made up of both students, faculty and staff members as well as singers from the community, the Qualtrics survey reflects the feedbacks from all the above demographics. 8) GIVE A SUMMARY OF EXPENSES FOR THE ACTIVITY (DO NOT INCLUDE ACCOUNTING STRINGS) $2,175.00 was paid to Ms. Linda Fern Fay for her service of weekly rehearsals (January 23rd to May8th), three dress rehearsals and two performances. $2,500.00 was paid to Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra (501(c)(3)) for three dress rehearsals and two performances B. ATTENDEE LIST- SUPPORTING DOCUMENT: In addition to the report form, in a separate document, attach to your email a list of attendees complete with each student major and grade level. This for IRA Committee reference only and will not be published on the IRA website. Include your name and the title of your IRA activity on the document.
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C.IMAGES FROM ACTIVITY: Please embed 3-5 images in this document (or attach in .JPEG format) that demonstrate student participation with captions/title Image 1: CSU Channel Islands University Chorus and Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra in a dress rehearsal (April 26th, 207)
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Image 2: CI University Chorus performed to a packed house on Sunday, May 7th, 2017 at the First United Methodist Church, Ventura
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Image 3: Full house – balcony view
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Image 4: Dress rehearsal at Rancho Campana High School, Camarillo (May 9h, 2017)
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Q2 - If you were an audience member, please comment on your experience of attending the Choral Spectacular 2017 performances and comment on the contribution of the Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra to the performance.
If you were an audience member, please comment on your experience of attend...
The event went well with a lot of attendances and the performance was excellent.
I am a singer in the chorus. Fern is an incredible asset to the chorus. She is an extremely talented accompanist and she provides valuable assistance to the chorus in terms of vocal technique and musicianship. Along with Dr. Liu, she is the best asset of the chorus. Being able to sing with the orchestra is a rare opportunity for a local chorus. We were able to perform the pieces as Bach and Mozart intended which was a treat. We really got to feel part of a large ensemble of musicians putting together a spectacular program for Ventura and Camarillo audiences. I sing with CICA as a community member. Following the Choral Spectacular 2017, I heard many favorable comments from my husband and friends who were in the audience and I wanted to relay them. My husband especially loves Mozart and Bach and commented on the marvelous tonal qualities of the program. It was a challenging program. He said that the high quality acoustics at Rancho Campana High School allowed him to fully appreciate the talented musicians that are members of CICO. They were a great enhancement to the program. I heard similar comments from other friends. There was a well-merited standing ovation at the conclusion.
I was a performer, not an audience member.
I was not in the audience, but rather a singer in the University Chorus. The audience members with whom I spoke were enthusiastic about the combination of chorus and orchestra. It's a great experience for the singers, and offers enrichment to the community. Large choral works could not be performed without the participation of an orchestra. Linda Fern Fay is an extraordinary accompanist, and is also a teacher in her own right, leading sectionals for sub-groups of all skill levels. She is amazingly flexible. The choir relies on her and her consistency from the first practice through the final performance. The Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra was indispensable. The success of the choir in performing both the Mozart Requiem and the Bach Motet was dependent on the orchestra. Also, the orchestra drew in a section of the audience who would not have attended had the orchestra not performed along with the choir. I am a community member of the choir. I received several "glowing" reviews of the Bach/Mozart performances. As a member of the choir I enjoyed the concert participation tremendously
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I am a member of the choir.
I am NOT an audience member but a member of the Channel Islands Choir Association.
I am a volunteer member of the CSU Channel Islands Choir. I am not a student and live in Camarillo. My personal experience with this past Choral Spectacular during rehearsals from January - May and the final performance with the orchestra has been amazing. This is a unique opportunity for not only students of CI, but for volunteer singers from the community that fill out the voices needed in the choir. To be able to perform with an orchestra not only enriches the students learning by giving them an opportunity to work with professional musicians, it offers to the community members a chance to be involved with the performing arts program at CI as well as enjoy a special experience of singing high level choral music such as what was performed; Mozart Requiem
I'm a chorus member.
Performer, not audience member
I am a choir member
Not an audience member.
Fern was an essential part of our success as a choir. She is not only an expert accompanist who works seamlessly with the conductor, but she has a vast amount of experience in rehearsal techniques l. She runs a very effective sectional rehearsal- which is crucial when working with complex musical pieces. You cannot have a quality choral group without the stability of a talented, sensitive accompanist. How do I know? My mother is an accompanist and her work with a choir always extended far beyond excellent piano skills. Our accompanist is the highest caliber of musician, especially In preparing the chorus during sectional rehearsals. As a music teacher as well, she enhances the singers' understanding of theory and vocal production as well as pronunciation of Latin in sacred pieces.
N/a
Not an audience member.
The combination of the CI University Chorus with the CI Chamber Orchestra, makes for an amazing concert experience. With both of those ensmebles combined together, Dr. Liu is able to present masterpieces by the great composers such as Mozart and J.S. Bach, with the large orchestrations that the composers intended for their music. The recent concert that showcased Mozart's Requiem Mass was a perfect example of the artist beauty that results when our local orchestra is paired together with our CI University Chorus. The keyboard accompaniment of Linda Fern Fay is a very key component to the success of these concerts. Ms. Fay not only appears weekly to rehearse with the chorus, but she also performs at the concerts on piano, pipe organ, and other keyboard instruments. Ms. Fay's musical contributions are a huge part of the success of the CI University Chorus.
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Q3 - If you are student at CI, what is your major?
If you are student at CI, what is your major?
Performing Arts-Music
N/A
I am a community member of CICA.
I'm not a student.
I am not a student at CI. I am a community member who is part of the University Chorus/CSUCI Choir.
Performing Arts
not a student
NA
N/A
I am a volunteer member of the choir.
I'm a community member.
Not a student
Community member
Not a student.
Not a student.
Not a student
I am a volunteer singer.
Not a student
Computer Science
Not a student.
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Q4 - Students, what year are you at CI?
# Answer % Count
1 Freshmen 33.33% 1
2 Sophomore 0.00% 0
3 Junior 0.00% 0
4 Senior 66.67% 2
Total 100% 3
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Q5 - How did you hear about these performances?
# Answer % Count
1 Instructor 38.46% 10
2 Word of mouth 23.08% 6
3 Social media 3.85% 1
4 CSU CI website 3.85% 1
5 Flyer/Poster 3.85% 1
6 Other 26.92% 7
Total 100% 26
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Q6 - Which course(s) are you currently (Spring 2017) taking that relate to these performances?
Which course(s) are you currently (Spring 2017) taking that relate to these...
PAMU 307
N/A
I am a community member of CICA so this question does not pertain to me.
Not a student, but a member of the choir auditioned from the community.
Choir
I participate in the University Chorus as a member from the community. It needs to be a large group to perform major works.
Comtemporary Ensamble, Piano Lessons, Guitar Lessons, Music Theory
not a student
NA
None. I am a community member.
NA
I am not a student.
I am not a student
I'm a community member.
I am a community choir member, not a student
NoneNot applicable
None
I am not a student.
Choir
Spring 2017
None
I am a member of the Channel Islands Choral Assoc.
N/a
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PAMU 307
None
Faculty / audience member
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Q7 - How did this instructionally related activity relate to the content and/or learning outcomes of the courses that you are taking?
How did this instructionally related activity relate to the content and/or...
I don't know
N/A
I am a community member of CICA so this question does not pertain to me.
I am not a student.
I'm not taking other courses.
The instruction helps all singers to improve as singers and musicians. Consistent participation, year after year, helps improve musicianship of all singers (University students as well as all the others).
I helped me develop a better understanding for 4-part writing and counterpoint
not a student
NA
Not applicable.
N/A
I am not taking any courses for classes but I am an active member of the CICA and I put in the same amount of class time as the students do and at least as many hours of private practice as the students do.
I am not a student
I'm a community member.
Not a student
Not applicable
NA
I am not a student.
Musical accompaniment is required for choral practice and performance.
Met my needs as a community singer.
Not a student
I am not taking other courses.
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N/a
I gained experience in both vocal repertoire and in performance.
Accompanist was essential
Faculty / audience member
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Q8 - Rate your overall satisfaction with the weekly rehearsals and final performances: 1 being the lowest, and 5 being the highest score.
# Answer % Count
1 1 0.00% 0
2 2 0.00% 0
3 3 0.00% 0
4 4 23.08% 6
5 5 76.92% 20
Total 100% 26
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Q9 - What do you consider the positives/strengths of the contribution by the accompanist?
What do you consider the positives/strengths of the contribution by the acc...
Playing perfectly with no mistakes
She is a phenomenal pianist. She follows Dr. Liu's conducting quite well. She knows vocal technique and understands music so that she can help us reach our potential. Fern Fay is an accomplished musician. She can play anything that is set in front of her -- at first sight. She is also adept at transferring from a portable keyboard to a practice piano to a baby grand to an organ. She has the proverbial patience of Job when she works with us preparing for our musical performances. She always answers our questions and goes over a piece of music until we are proficient. We are very fortunate to have her an our accompanist. Fern is integral to the success of the CSU-CI Choir. She is accomplished not only in keyboards but also in voice training. She is an excellent & patient instructor. I cannot imagine our choir without her presence & assistance.
Fern is very caring, a good musician and strives to help us learn the notes and dynamics of the music.
Expert support toward learning choral parts. Attentive support of the instructor/artistic director. Ability to run choir sectionals during rehearsals thereby increasing efficiency of instruction.
help attune my ear better for melodies
She is a skilled pianist. Her sight-reading skills are impeccable. She has a good sense of how to best assist the conductor. She also is a teacher in her own right. Fern does an outstanding job. She has an almost extra-sensory connection with Kuan Fen, which really catalyses the whole learning process Positive: Knows about vocal technique as well as accompaniment. Very cheerful and friendly. Could listen and hear individual problems within the section. Fern is not only an accomplished accompanist but she also lead choir 2 in the split rehearsals for the Bach and played the harpsichord for the performances. She is always cheerful and accommodating. Linda Fern Faye is one of the most gifted keyboardists that I have ever seen. She can play anything that is necessary to accompany the choir and as necessary run sectional rehearsals when the choir splits up to work on specific areas that need more intense review. It is ESSENTIAL to have an accompanist for rehearsals. It would be impossible to have a choral arts program without one. Fern is a wonderful accompanist and helps the rehearsal run smoothly and efficiently. She does an excellent job running sectionals and is very positive presence.
Musically skilled, knowledgeable, and adept. Attentive, helpful. Very impressive
Excellent musician, good vocal coach.
Able to assist the conductor with sectionals and warmups.
Her piano playing allowed the conductor to concentrate on teaching effectively. It is my understanding that the accompaniest did well teaching the women when we would break into sectionals. I am a man,
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so I did not witness her teaching very much. Fern did substitute for the conductor once during the dress rehearsal when she was unavoidably late. Fern is an accomplished pianist and always provides the highest quality accompaniment at the rehearsals and performances. During sectionals, she also provides knowledgeable guidance on the singing. She is positive, encouraging, and provides good feedback. Honestly, we are incredibly lucky to have her.
Her personal skill and helpful nature.
Consistency, keyboard skills, rehearsal skills, encouraging temperament
Her incredible ability to play multiple SATB parts simultaneously during rehearsals and the total accompaniment upon instant request is unmatchable! We cannot have rehearsals without an accompanist - she is essential to helping us learn notes, lines, rhythm, etc. Having the accompanist there to play all or some of the vocal,parts as necessary, or a piano part (or orchestral reduction) is critical to our continued success. Having an accompanist allows us to have a strong base. This lets us learn our parts and keep on pitch. Our accompanist also leads half the chorus during sectionals, which allows for more focused corrections.
Essential to learning the music. Very helpful with constructive comments to singing.
Extremely high quality music was presented in concert to an area of Ventura County that very much needs these musical experience.
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Q10 - Were there any weaknesses?
Were there any weaknesses?
No weaknesses.
None.
None!
None!
Not that I can think of.
Cannot think of one. None!
No.
None
Sometimes did not follow the director, because she was not paying attention. On a few occasions, overstepped her bounds when doing sectional rehearsals - would explain how she wanted a particular passage to sound without conferring with the director first.
None that I saw.
None that I have ever seen or heard.
no
None, but the rehearsal piano badly needs tuning
No
Ability to fully play a reduced score in a manner that replicated the orchestral reduction
None that I can tell
None
None
None.
No
No
No. She was. Dry good.
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Q11 - What do you consider the positives/strengths of the contribution by the Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra?
What do you consider the positives/strengths of the contribution by the Cha...
They put into a lot of hard work of practice with the choir in preparation to the performance.
Excellent musicians. Fun to be around members of the local community who also love classical music.
As a singer, it is always exciting to be able to perform with a full orchestra in addition to our pianist Fern Fay. CICO members are professional musicians and it is evident from their performance. They have always been very welcoming when we join them in concerts. I look forward to working with them again. The CI Chamber Orchestra is a polished, accomplished professional orchestra, & it consistently makes the CSU-CI Choir shine even more in concert. The professionalism of the indivriual musicians is top drawer. They are always prepared, & know their scores completely. Excellent!!
It is lovely to sing with an orchestra. This is one of the reasons I joined the choir.
Participation by the orchestra permits the performance of major choral works which is critical to the education of music students and singers from the community. The choral/orchestral concerts contribute to the cultural life of the community at large.
Additional views of classical music
The orchestra balances themselves well, with no section overwhelming the others.
They were a tremendous resource during the concert and greatly enhanced the audience experience
Orchestra was great! So much fun to sing with an orchestra - a fuller, richer sound, easier to feel and respond to the energy created by a group of instruments rather than just the piano, at least for the larger pieces. It is an INVALUABLE asset to a large choir.
They are a fine orchestra and were a pleasure to sing with.
As good as a piano/organ accompaniment is, an orchestra can oftentimes expand the sound to enhance the choir. CHICO is a professional level orchestra. It is a unique and exceptional experience to collaborate with this organization.
It's a treat to perform with the orchestra.
High musical aspirations and achievement
Excellent musicians who contributed greatly to the choir's performance
The professionalism of this orchestra raises the overall professionalism of the choir
A work as grand as the Mozart Requiem could not be performed without an effective orchestra. In addition to parts for large string sections, it has parts for clarinet, low brass and drum which are instrumental to the piece. They also did a great deal to strengthen the choir's performance of a very difficult Bach cantata.
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The first time I got to sing with the orchestra I was blown away by what an amazing experience it was. Lil' ol' me gets to sing with these accomplished musicians? Yes! They are skilled and ready to go, and they respond appropriately to the direction given my Kwan Fen.
Regular opportunities to sing with a good orchestra.
Quality musicianship- willingness to create beauty together, happy spirits
The orchestra members have many years of musical experience brought together under the excellent direction of such an esteemed director. Being able to sing with an orchestra is such a huge privilege, and it opens up a wide variety of choral compositions we could not perform otherwise. It greatly expands what the students are exposed to, and teaches a skill set that they could not learn any other way. The chorus was able to perform with an orchestra. We learnt how to project our voices and listen to multiple instruments at once.
Also essential to performing these rather big choral works. Piano or organ just would no be enough.
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Q12 - Were there any weaknesses?
Were there any weaknesses?
No Weaknesses
None.
I wasn't aware of any. CICO was well rehearsed. Dr. KuanFen Liu is an exacting conductor.
None.
They were quite professional.
No. It would be great to be able to do more!
No.
No
Not that I could tell. Orchestra was prepared and, in rehearsal, was very responsive to the director.
None that I saw.
None
They could be a little better prepared for dress rehearsals.
Members did not uniformly practice sufficiently
No
None
The orchestra did occasionally play loudly, but this improved throughouot the dress rehearsals and during the performances. there was concern at the dress rehearsals about whether some instruments, especially strings, would be in tune, but this was pretty well resolved in the performances.
No
None
None
None.
We can always use more rehearsals - it's amazing what can be accomplished with just 3 orchestral rehearsals, but having the funding to add even one more would be fantastic.
No
No. The players were very good.
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Q13 - Suggestions or comments for future activities?
Suggestions or comments for future activities?
No.
Nope. More performances with the orchestra in the future!
The accommodations at Rancho Campana High School were ideal for our performance with great acoustics and sufficient space for CICA and CICO in the stage area. I hope we shall be able to perform there again. None at the moment. I am always pleased with the musical selections Dr KuanFen Liu brings to our choir each semester. She is the BEST! I like doing choral works such as Mozart's Requiem. I like focusing like this on a major work where we have time to practice fully before performing. Because of the many levels in the choir, this seems better than practicing many styles at once.
Just keep it up! More choral/orchestral rehearsals and concerts.
The volume of the choir was sometimes low. They need a facility with better acoustics, or a better sound system.
Perhaps more modern pieces with the traditional music
I really enjoyed performing with the orchestra, and I would like to keep doing so. Not for every concert, but at least once a year. I think that this semester ( I have been a participant in the past 4 semesters ) were very much enhanced by having an accompanist of the quality of Linda Fern Faye and the opportunity of sharing two performances with the Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra really was terrific. The more exposure that the choir and the orchestra get to the viewing public, the more that people will be spreading the word that Channel Islands University has a high quality music program. CI should consider hosting other choral groups from High Schools to University programs to come and perform at CI or collaborate with the current program. Perhaps a competition or just a day of choral arts that would be open for the community to come and enjoy. Workshops. Seminars. So exciting to think what could come!
Summer choir
More attention to advertising to promote larger audiences at Rancho Campana Performing Arts Center.
The Requiem by Osip Kozlovsky, a Polish composer who lived around the time of Mozart, should be performed next year. Please continue to support this! It is an incredible resource and experience for students and community in and around Camarillo.
More contemporary music. Show tunes, popular music, etc.
This group can educate our community- accessible pieces that are utterly beautiful are important. Will draw in more audiences and musicians than difficult, obscure pieces.
Perhaps major works can include lighter pieces when the chorus and orchestra are combined.
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Regular collaborations between chorus and orchestra.
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Default Report
Choral Spectacular 2017
June 16th 2017, 12:56 pm MDT
Q2 - If you were an audience member, please comment on your experience of attending the Choral Spectacular 2017 performances and comment on the contribution of the Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra to the performance.
If you were an audience member, please comment on your experience of attend...
The event went well with a lot of attendances and the performance was excellent.
I am a singer in the chorus. Fern is an incredible asset to the chorus. She is an extremely talented accompanist and she provides valuable assistance to the chorus in terms of vocal technique and musicianship. Along with Dr. Liu, she is the best asset of the chorus. Being able to sing with the orchestra is a rare opportunity for a local chorus. We were able to perform the pieces as Bach and Mozart intended which was a treat. We really got to feel part of a large ensemble of musicians putting together a spectacular program for Ventura and Camarillo audiences. I sing with CICA as a community member. Following the Choral Spectacular 2017, I heard many favorable comments from my husband and friends who were in the audience and I wanted to relay them. My husband especially loves Mozart and Bach and commented on the marvelous tonal qualities of the program. It was a challenging program. He said that the high quality acoustics at Rancho Campana High School allowed him to fully appreciate the talented musicians that are members of CICO. They were a great enhancement to the program. I heard similar comments from other friends. There was a well-merited standing ovation at the conclusion.
I was a performer, not an audience member.
I was not in the audience, but rather a singer in the University Chorus. The audience members with whom I spoke were enthusiastic about the combination of chorus and orchestra. It's a great experience for the singers, and offers enrichment to the community. Large choral works could not be performed without the participation of an orchestra. Linda Fern Fay is an extraordinary accompanist, and is also a teacher in her own right, leading sectionals for sub-groups of all skill levels. She is amazingly flexible. The choir relies on her and her consistency from the first practice through the final performance. The Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra was indispensable. The success of the choir in performing both the Mozart Requiem and the Bach Motet was dependent on the orchestra. Also, the orchestra drew in a section of the audience who would not have attended had the orchestra not performed along with the choir. I am a community member of the choir. I received several "glowing" reviews of the Bach/Mozart performances. As a member of the choir I enjoyed the concert participation tremendously
I am a member of the choir.
I am NOT an audience member but a member of the Channel Islands Choir Association.
I am a volunteer member of the CSU Channel Islands Choir. I am not a student and live in Camarillo. My personal experience with this past Choral Spectacular during rehearsals from January - May and the final performance with the orchestra has been amazing. This is a unique opportunity for not only students of CI, but for volunteer singers from the community that fill out the voices needed in the choir. To be able to perform with an orchestra not only enriches the students learning by giving them an opportunity to work with professional musicians, it offers to the
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